Easy and Healthy Apple Muffins Recipe with Cinnamon

Looking for the best apple and cinnamon muffins? This post shares a cozy and foolproof recipe that’s been tested until perfect! Soft, moist, warmly spiced, and packed with chunks of fresh apple in every bite. Unlike other muffin recipes, this one uses a balanced mix of brown sugar, cinnamon, and a clever moisture-locking trick to ensure bakery-style results at home, every time.

Whether you’re baking for a weekend brunch, school snack, or just want something sweet and spiced to pair with your coffee, this apple and cinnamon muffin recipe will quickly become a seasonal favorite. Read on for expert baking tips, variations, and why this recipe stands out from the rest.

Why You Can Trust This Recipe

As a recipe developer, lifestyle expert, and someone who believes in simple, seasonal cooking, I’ve made dozens of muffin batches in my test kitchen. And more than once, I’ve rescued a crumbly muffin recipe with a few tweaks! My audience comes to me for reliable, flavorful, and real-life-tested recipes… and this one checks all the boxes.

Plus, as someone who hosts often and bakes ahead, I’ve added practical storage tips and tested this muffin recipe with various flour and sugar swaps to ensure it works with what you have on hand.

Why I Love This Recipe

This recipe was inspired by a chilly morning and a few lonely apples in my fruit bowl. I wanted something warm, fragrant, and comforting, and muffins felt just right. What makes these apple and cinnamon muffins special is the use of brown sugar, which adds depth and moisture, and a cinnamon-spiced crumble topping for bakery-style flair. The apples stay tender but not soggy, and the muffins hold up beautifully for days.

Key Ingredients and Tips

Fresh Apples

Use a firm variety like Honeycrisp, Gala, or Granny Smith. Dice small so the fruit distributes evenly and bakes through.
Tip: If your apples are soft or overripe, sauté them briefly in a little butter and cinnamon first.

Ground Cinnamon

The star of the show. For extra cozy vibes, you can also add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice.

Butter

Melted butter creates a tender crumb and a rich flavor. You can substitute with neutral oil, but butter gives it that bakery feel.

Brown Sugar

This gives moisture and caramel-like depth. A mix of white and brown sugar is fine, but I lean into the brown for that classic muffin warmth.

All-Purpose Flour

You can substitute with whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor, or do half and half.

Easy Variations

Dairy-Free: Sub melted coconut oil or neutral oil for the butter and a non-dairy milk alternative.

Add Nuts: Fold in ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch.

Crumb Topping: Mix flour, butter, and sugar into a crumble and top before baking.

Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 GF flour blend — muffins may be slightly denser, but still delicious.

How to Make Apple and Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients

For the Muffin Batter

• 2 cups of all purpose flour or whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, or canola oil works too
• 1 1/2 cups of milk or any dairy-free alternative (I used oat milk)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 cup of diced apples

For the Brown Sugar Topping

• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
• pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease the muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the crumb topping – rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Set it aside.

Making the Muffin Batter

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.
4. In a medium bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the wet ingredients along with the sugar. Mix the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, maple syrup, milk and brown sugar until well combined.
5. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay.
6. Gently fold in the diced apple pieces.

Assembling the Muffins

7. Spoon batter into the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
8. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the tops of the muffins. This will give your muffins a sweet and crunchy finish.

Baking

9. Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
10. Once done, remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to Store and Make Ahead

• Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for 5 days.
• Freezing: Freeze muffins in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months.
• Reheating: Warm muffins in the microwave for 10–15 seconds or in a low oven for 5 minutes.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re baking a cozy winter breakfast or prepping school snacks, these apple and cinnamon muffins are a timeless, easy treat that feels like a warm hug. With pantry-staple ingredients and simple prep, they’re everything a homemade muffin should be: moist, fluffy, flavorful, and easy to customize.

Don’t underestimate the power of a great muffin. Sometimes, the simplest bakes are the ones we come back to again and again.

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